Rigid wheel bracket



1959 E. H. SCHULTZ, JR 2,911,666

RIGID WHEEL BRACKET Filed May 31, 1957 Al ah/71251? 5m; Jr?

United States Patent 2,911,666 RIGID WHEEL BRACKET Application May 31,1957, Serial No. 662,832

3 Claims. 01. 16-40) This invention is concerned with a caster,particularly one having an improved one piece, sheet metal casterbracket.

Console type television receiving. sets are rather bulky and heavy, andcontain many delicate parts. Consequently, they are rather diflicult tomove. This is unfortunate, since it is often desirable to move atelevision receiver about over a limited area in order to provideviewing for different parts of a room, in accordance with the placementof furniture, or, lighting conditions, etc.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcaster construction incorporating a one piece, sheet metal casterbracket especially adapted for use with console type televisionreceivers.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved casterbracket which is simple and economical to fabricate, and yet quitestrong and rugged in use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a one piece, sheetmetal caster bracket, specifically for use with console type televisionreceivers, which is completely out of sight when in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a console type television receiverhaving casters in accordance with the principles of this inventionassociated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the novel casters;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the caster as attached to thetelevision receiver, the view being taken generally along the line 33 inFig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the caster.

Referring now in greater particularity to the drawings, there is shownrather generally in Fig. 1 a console type television receiver havingsidewalls 12, a front panel 14, and a top 16. The receiver may also havea back, although this will vary from one receiver to another, and isunimportant. As is shown, the console type television receiver 10 isprovided on the inside of the sidewalls 12, and adjacent the front panel14, with a pair of casters 18 constructed in accordance with theprinciples of this invention. Conventional, swiveling type casters 20are secured in any desired manner adjacent the back portion of thereceiver. Mounting at the back is not a critical problem, since the backof the receiver usually is not finished, and is not seen.

The caster 18 is shown more in detail in Figs. 2-4, and mostparticularly includes a bracket 22. The bracket is of one piece sheetmetal construction, and includes a generally flat, rectangular metalmounting plate 24 having a right angle flange 26 extending along thelower edge thereof. The mounting plate 24 is provided adjacent thetwo-upper corners with holes 28 for accommodating mounting screws 30.The screws 30 are wood screws, and are turned into the sidewalls 12 ofthe re- 2 ceiver, as will be appreciated. The right angle flange 26 isprovided with a central aperture 32, and the metal around this-apertureis depressed as at 34 whereby to receive a flat head wood screw 36flushwith the bottom of the flange, the screw being turned up into thesidewall 12, as will be appreciated.

The bracket 22 is provided with a right angle web or bight 38 along theupper edge of the mounting plate 24, and extending in the oppositedirection from the flange 26. The web or bight is provided at thecorners adjacent the plate 24 with shoulders 40, whereby the adjacentportion of the web or bight is coextensive in length with the plate.This sets the remainder of the web or bight 38 and parts carried therebyin far enough to allow ready access of screws and a screwdriver to theholes 28. The web or bight tapers from the shoulders 40 uniformly as at42,.and is terminated by a depending flange .44 which continues the.taper of the, web or bight as .at 46. The taperat 46 is the same as at42, whereby the edges of the webror bight and the depending flange formstraight lines before :the flange is bent down to its operativeposition. The lower end of the depending flange 44 is rounded off asat'48, slightly above the bottom of the mounting plate 24.

The'flange .44 is provided with an aperture 50, and

. the mounting plate 24 is provided with an aperture 52 alignedWithythe-apertureSD. The .material of the plate 24 adjacent the aperture52 is depressed as at 54. Thus,

an axle or pin 56 passed through the apertures 50 and 52 has a head orpeened over end 58 recessed within the depressed portion 54. Theopposite end of the pin 56 also is provided with a head or peened overportion 60. A Wheel or roller 62 of conventional construction isrotatably supported on the pin or axle 56 This Wheel preferably is madeof plastic, for quiet and long lived operation at low initial expense.

It now will be apparent that the sheet metal caster bracket as hereinshown and described is completely hidden when in use, yet supports thewheel or roller in convenient operating position. The bracket isinexpensive to produce, yet is strong and rugged in construction, and isin large measure reinforced by the wall against which it is fastened.The taper of the upper web or bight and of the depending flangesimplifies fabrication, and also leads to conservation of material,since subsequent brackets can be stamped from'a sheet metal blank withsubstantially no waste.

It will be observed that the wheel axle is near the bottom of thebracket. Accordingly, the wheel is positioned to provide adequateaccessspace to the holes 28, whereby the caster readily can be mounted.

Various changes in structure will no doubt occur to those skilled in theart, and are to be understood as forming a part of this inventioninsofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A caster construction comprising a one piece and relatively thinsheet metal bracket including a plate adapted to be mounted in verticalposition against the inner face of a wall as in an article of furniture,said plate having fastener receiving apertures therein adjacent theupper corners, an attachment flange on the lower edge of said plate atright angles thereto and adapted to underlie said wall, a web on theupper edge of said plate at right angles thereto and extending in theopposite direction from said flange, said web having end shoulderstending between said plate and depending flange relatively toward thelower edge of said plate and above said attachment flange, and a rollerrotatably mounted on said pin between said plate and said dependingflange, the position of said apertures-in said plate providing readyaccess thereto past said roller.

2. A caster construction-comprising a one piece and relatively thinsheet metal bracket including a plate adapted to be mounted in verticalposition against the inner face of a wall as in an article of furniture,a flange on the lower edge of said plate at right angles thereto andadapted to underlie said wall, a web on the upper edge of said plate atright angles thereto and extending in the opposite direction from saidflange, and a flange depending from said web parallel to said plate andspaced therefrom, said plate having a section relatively adjacent thelower edge and above said first mentioned flange displaced from theplane of said plate toward said depending flange, a pin extendingbetween said plate and said depending flange and having an enlarged endthereof recessed in the displaced section for preventing axialdisplacement of the pin, and a roller rotatably mounted on said pinbetween said plate and said depending flange, said plate havingfasteners receiving apertures therein near the upper corners wherebyfasteners readily clear said roller. r

3. A caster construction comprising a one piece and relatively thinsheet metal bracket including a plate adapted to be mounted inverticalposition-against the inner face of a wall as man article offurniture, said plate being of generally rectangular outline and havingapertures therein adjacent the upper corners for receipt of fasteners, aflange on the lower edge of said plate at right angles thereto andadapted to underlie said wall, said flange having fastener receivingopening means therein, a web on the upper edge of said plate at rightangle thereto and extending in the opposite direction from said flange,said web immediately adjacent said plate being coextensive therewith andoutwardly of said plate having shoulders whereby side margins of saidweb are set inwardly from the corresponding side margins of said plate,and a flange depending from said web parallel to said plate and spacedtherefrom, side margins of said web and of said depending flangetapering uniformly inwardly from said shoulders, said plate relativelyadjacent the lower edge thereof and .above saidfirst mentioned flangehaving a section displaced from the plane of said plate toward saiddepending flange, a pin extending between said plate and said dependingflange and having an enlarged end 7 portion thereof recessedlin saiddisplaced section for pre- 128,129 Dins more June 18, 1872 1,181,948Constable May 2, 1916 2,857,633 Bunker Oct. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS723,792 France Jan. 19, 1932

